2004 GMC ENVOY XUV four wheel drive

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in ¯at or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See
Off-Road
Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on
page 4-15
for information about driving off-road.
·Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ¯uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
·Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
4-37

If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
ªrockingº can help you get out when you are stuck, but
you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transmission or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment ®re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, see
Tire Chains on page 5-68.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have a
four- wheel-drive vehicle, shift into 4HI. Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see
Towing Your
Vehicle on page 4-45.
4-44

Dinghy Towing
When towing your vehicle, turn the ignition to LOCK.
To prevent your battery from draining while towing,
remove the Ignition A and the Ignition B fuses from the
engine compartment fuse block. Be sure to reinstall
the fuse when you reach your destination.
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer, or dolly
towed. See ªDolly Towingº following for more
information.
4-46

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be dinghy towed if you
follow the proper procedures. The transmission has no
provisions for internal lubrication while being towed, so it
is important that you follow all the steps listed in this
manual to dinghy tow your four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
2. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition on.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle's transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P). You
or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is ®rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-31for the proper
procedure to select the NEUTRAL position for your
vehicle.
6. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is ®rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
7. Turn the ignition off and leave the steering column
unlocked.
4-47

Dolly Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be dolly towed.
Two-wheel-drive transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while being towed. To properly
tow these vehicles, they should be placed on a platform
trailer with all four wheels off the ground.
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be dolly towed with the
rear wheels on the ground.
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Drive the vehicle onto the tow dolly.
2. Shift the automatic transmission to PARK (P).
3. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition on.
4. Firmly set the parking brake.
5. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
dolly.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle's transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P). You
or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is ®rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
6. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-31for the proper
procedure to select the NEUTRAL position for your
vehicle.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is ®rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition off and lock the steering column.
4-48

{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle
can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won't move,
even when you're on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake ®rmly set.
If the transfer case on four-wheel drive
vehicles is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be
free to roll, even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P). So, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear Ð not in NEUTRAL.
See ªFour-Wheel Drive (Automatic Transfer
Case)º in the Index.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
·start your engine,
·shift into a gear, and
·release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt(s), cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you ®nd them quickly. If
you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-65

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-41
Rear Axle.......................................................5-46
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-46
Front Axle......................................................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Headlamps..................................................5-48
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-50
Tires..............................................................5-52
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-61
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-66
Wheel Replacement......................................5-66
Tire Chains..................................................5-68
Accessory In¯ator.........................................5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-71
Spare Tire...................................................5-83
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
5-39